Revenge is Sweet but Fleeting
by Steph-Schell
Summary: "I'll see what I can do."


**A/N:** Since there seems to be no end of this series in sight, I thought I'd put up the titles of all of the one shots at the beginning of each story. They can be read in any order, this is just how they've been written.

**Rain Brings Growing Things**

**A Story to Help You Sleep**

**The Devil Finally Thought to ask Forgiveness**

**Did the Shining Prince Court the Golden Princess**

**I Know What Will Make You Feel Better**

**I Like When You Play**

**Fun Playing Dress Up**

**We Got Together Over Tea**

**Revenge is Sweet but Fleeting**

Feel free to leave prompts of what you want to see in other one shots.

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><p>For all her abnormal lifestyle, Elly was a very normal little girl. She liked sweets and shiny things and most of all her birthday. Her grandfather did his best to make every birthday as special as possible. But her favorite part was the Jack stories. Those were usually reserved for the end of the week if Elly had been an exceptionally good girl. But no matter how good or bad she'd been she always got a Jack story on her birthday. Just after lunch, John pulled her into his lap with the Golden Storybook. "Which one should we read?" John asked.<p>

"The Black King and the Red Queen," Elly declared.

"Alright." John turned to the correct page. "The passing of the Golden Princess was hard on all those in the castle," he began. "But most believed it was hardest on the White Queen. They were wrong. It was hardest on the Black King. The others could grieve openly but he had no way to express his feelings. He knew if he were caught feeling hurt over his daughter, the others would grow angry.

"Grief and pain were not feelings he had experienced in a long time. The Black King was not sure what to do with them. The White Queen made it clear she would tolerate no grieving on his part and would not help him deal with anything he was feeling. The Black King decided if he could not deal with his feelings with those he loved, he would channel them towards those he hated.

"The Black King enlisted the help of the Alchemist in his quest. He knew that the Alchemist held little love for him. The Black King felt the same way towards the other man. But their reasons did not need to be the same for them to exact the same purpose of will. Agreement in this case was enough for them.

"So they went out. They hunted down the Red Queen's army like animals. Small rabbits scattering in the face of a rampaging pair of wolves. The streets ran red with the blood of soldiers and scientists. And the Black King and the Alchemist reveled in it. They had a fierce enjoyment of the chaos they had so uniquely created.

"The Black King felt such soothing relief at watching the murders of his daughter die that he forgot himself. He went to the White Queen to have her share in his triumphs. The Black King was so excited to speak of her that he didn't even bother to wipe the blood off when he appeared in her study. Their conversation was brief but it was enough to bring the Black King back to himself. The White Queen did not want him. Would never want him as long as he was like this. With the loss of the Golden Princess, their last connection had been severed. The Black King realized that she needed her own closure that had nothing to do with him. Perhaps she would never have need of him again. That thought built a rage in him.

"IN his anger he left once again. This time he left the Alchemist behind. What needed to be done, he would do on his own. He stalked the Red Queen to a village where she was trying to stay out of sight. But there was nothing that would have kept him from avenging the Golden Princess once and for all. As the Black King watched the Red Queen rise from her table, he gripped his dagger from the old days. He found it very fitting that her life would be ended by the very weapon that had severed every tie the Black King had ever held dear in his life. It was more than the witch deserved almost.

"He cornered her in the alley way, knowing what a fearsome picture he must have made. Tall, imposing, a blade clutched in his hands, just waiting to destroy the woman before him. She pleaded with him, tried to make deals they both knew she would never be able to live up to. But the Black King would not hear of it. The Red Queen had taken his daughter from this world. She would not be allowed to pollute it with her presence any longer.

"The Black King's work was efficient but not in any way quick. He kept her hanging on the very edge between life and death for as long as possible. This is much longer than most would believe. Long enough for him to explain each and every crime she was being prosecuted for and how he was carrying out the punishment. Finally though, the light left her eyes and she breathed no more. The Black King waited until his breathing was even before walking back into the sunshine. A fresh wave of sorrow for the Golden Princess hit him as he tilted his face to the light. With a heavy sigh, he began to walk in any direction that would take him away from this carnage he had created.

"And the moral here is, Revenge is sweet but fleeting."

Elly sat in awed silence for a moment. "Again," she begged suddenly. "Again, again, again."

John sighed. "Do you want a story now or a cake later?"

Elly looked at him with her wide eyes. "I can't have both?"

"No, because I have to go and get the cake. Now I can either read you the story again or I can get you a cake for your birthday."

"I suppose I'll take the cake then."

John had a feeling she would. "Alright then," he agreed, setting her on the floor. "Why don't you go watch Joseph while I find you a cake? Remember to keep the doors locked while I'm out."

"And don't let anyone in," Elly nodded. She began to make her way to the living room. "Can you get me a vanilla cake, grandpa?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."


End file.
